New Orleans neighborhood news, May 9-16, 2013

New Orleans neighborhood news, May 9-16, 2013

Mid-City

HIKE THE LAFITTE CORRIDOR: The Friends of the Lafitte Corridor will host its annual three-mile hike at 9:30 a.m. Saturday beginning Congo Square in Louis Armstrong Park and finishing at Bud’s Broiler, 500 City Park Ave.

Bike Easy will hold a bike safety workshop at 9 a.m. in Congo Square and transport bikes to the finish line for the hikers at about 2 p.m.

There will be a rest stop along the way at Parkway Bakery & Tavern, which will serve po-boys to the participants.

Parts of the hike are weedy and overgrown, please dress accordingly. Sigh up at http://folchike2013.eventbrite.com/ and for more information email info@folc-nola.org.

Lakeview

SENIOR FEST: The New Orleans Council on Aging will host Senior Fest 2013 at the University of New Orleans Lakefront Arena from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Friday.

More than 800 senior citizens are expected to attend. Major sponsors include Entergy New Orleans, Peoples Health, Dependable In Home Care, Daughters of Charity, and Jubilee Respite Services.

The year’s Older Americans Month theme — “Unleash the Power of Age!” — emphasizes the important role of older adults.

Lifetime Achievement Awards will be presented to Leah Chase and Wanda Rouzan. Silver Fox Awards will be presented to Bobby Pierce and Toddy Wobbema, publisher of the Senior Resource Directory.

Emelina Edwards, the Peoples Health Champion 2012 and fitness lifestyle coach, will discuss her new book, “Forever Fit and Fabulous: A Guide to Health and Vigor, Even at 70 and Beyond.”

CIVIC ASSOCIATION MEETS: The Lakeview Civic Improvement Association will hold its bimonthly general membership meeting Tuesday at the St. Dominic gym, 632 Memphis St. Social time starts at 6:30 p.m., meeting starts at 7 p.m. Child care is available. The LCIA offers residents timely communications, volunteer services, crime watch data and a variety of residential and business announcements. For information, go to http://www.lakeviewcivic.org.

Uptown

THE CAT WHISPERER: Animal Planet TV host Jackson Galaxy discusses and signs his book, “Cat Daddy: What the World’s Most Incorrigible Cat Taught Me About Life, Love, and Coming Clean,” Saturday from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. at the Garden District Book Shop, 2727 Prytania St., New Orleans.

A cat behaviorist with more than 15 years of experience and the host of Animal Planet’s hit show “My Cat From Hell,” Galaxy specializes in helping individuals whose “out of control” cats are turning their lives and homes upside down.

Eastern New Orleans

BAYOR SAUVAGE CANOE TOURS: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is offering two guided canoe tours in the bayou, Sunday and May 19 starting at 2 p.m. Each trip will depart from 16990 Chef Menteur Highway at the Joe Madere Marsh Unit, off U.S. 90.

Each trip will include basic safety lessons and canoe techniques. The trip will last about three hours and equipment will be provided. All adult participants are expected to paddle. The tour is geared towards adults, but children 5 and older may attend but not paddle and those over 10 may paddle.

The cost is $10 for paddlers, children 5 through nine are $5 each and Wildlife Refuge members are $5. Pre-registration is necessary. For information call (985) 882-2000 or online http://www.fws.gov/southeastlouisiana/calendar.html.

Gentilly

There will be food and live music. In honor of mothers everywhere, every lady in attendance will receive a rose. The event will include a memorial balloon release at 1 p.m.

All attendees are invited to enter a drawing to win one of three $50 gift cards to Rouses supermarket.

Call (504) 283-2531 for more information.

French Quarter

GERMAN-AMERICAN STUDIES: The Society for German-American Studies will hold its 37th annual conference in New Orleans from Thursday to Sunday at the Royal Sonesta Hotel, 300 Bourbon St. Registration is required and rates start at $25. The SCAS conference is held is a different city each year and focuses on the local German heritage. The first German settlers came to Louisiana in 1721 and settled around present-day St. Charles Parish.

The Historic New Orleans Collection will hold registration Thursday May 9 from 4 to 7 p.m. with a reception from 6 to 8 p.m. at 533 Royal St. The plenary session will follow at 9 a.m. in the WRC’s Cruise Room. All following sessions will be held at the Royal Sonesta. For information visit http://sgas.org/symposium/.

Bywater

PARK INFORMATION MEETING: St. Claude Main Street and Tulane City Center will be at the upcoming Bywater Neighborhood Association meeting at 7 p.m. Tuesday at Holy Angels, 3500 St. Claude Ave., for an information session on park space being constructed by the BNA.

Design ideas are being sought for the park, at Independence Street and St. Claude Avenue. The group will also discuss another potential park at Desire and St. Claude.

Tulane City Center is leading the input sessions and will continue the process until the park is completed in August.